Orioles, Nationals Face Elimination on Thursday Night

Sports bettors have plenty to choose from over the next 48 hours, with some great baseball playoff action, a taste of college football and a sprinkling of NFL thrown in. Here's a quick look at what's happening in sports betting Thursday and Friday along with the odds that are now on the move for these matchups.

Baseball playoffs are getting very interesting, as every divisional-round series has been stretched into at least a Game 4 situation. Thursday gives us four more games to play.

In Cincinnati the Reds and Giants will play a decisive Game 5 Thursday afternoon. Cincy took the first two games of this series in San Francisco, but the Giants have battled back to take Games 3 and 4 in Cincinnati. For Thursday's series finale Mr. Perfect Matt Cain and the Giants are +110 underdogs vs. the Reds with Mat Latos.

The St. Louis Cardinals, up two games to one after an 8-0 victory Wednesday, will try to finish off the top-seeded Washington Nationals in Game 4 Thursday in DC. Kyle Lohse and the Cards are early -110 favorites over Ross Detwiler and the Nats.

In New York the Yankees, also up two games to one after getting some breathtaking late-game heroics from Raul Ibanez Wednesday night, will be looking to brush off the Baltimore Orioles. Phil Hughes and the Pinstripes are early -150 faves for Thursday's game over the O's with Joe Saunders.

And in Thursday's nightcap the Oakland A's and Detroit Tigers will play a decisive Game 5 out at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Detroit won the first two games of this ALDS at home, but Oakland has won Games 3 and 4 on its home field. As of Thursday morning the Tigers with Justin Verlander throwing were early -140 favorites over rookie Jarrod Parker for Game 5.

On the football side of the board the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans get Week 6 of this NFL season started when they meet in Nashville Thursday night. The Steelers are 2-2 after beating Philly on a late field goal last week 16-14. The Titans, meanwhile, are struggling at 1-4, coming off a 30-7 loss to the Vikings. As of Thursday morning Pittsburgh was favored by 6.5 points and climbing over Tennessee.

And for a little college gridiron action Thursday offers up three games: Arizona State is favored by 23 points at Colorado; Tulsa is favored by 17 points over UTEP; and down in the Sun Belt Western Kentucky is favored by two points at Troy.

Moving to Friday we could have two more Game 5 battles in baseball, if the Orioles and Nationals can stay alive Thursday.

And in a Friday night college football matchup Navy, after an emotional win over Air Force, is a two-point underdog at Central Michigan.